Wireless networking technology allows computers to communicate wirelessly, using network protocols such as a protocol in the IEEE 802.11 family of protocols. There are two types of wireless networks: ad-hoc wireless networks, in which each computer in the network can communicate directly with each other computer in the wireless network; and wireless networks that make use of one or more Access Point(s). An Access Point (AP) acts a bridge for wireless devices within range of the AP and to a wired network to which the AP is connected.
There are two distinct types of Access Points: thick APs and thin APs. A thick AP is a layer 2 device that performs functions, including functions such as all Media Access Control (MAC) functions locally, including authentication of clients. A thin AP is not itself a level 2 or level 3 device, but instead communicates via a low-level protocol to a controller. Frames received by the thin. AP are tunneled to the controller for processing. For thin APs, virtually all functions, such as virtually all MAC functions, are performed by the controller rather than the AP.